Councillor David Cullinane of Sinn Fein

Councillor David Cullinane of Sinn Fein

Councillor David Cullinane of Sinn Fein has accused the Receiver at Waterford Crystal, Mr David Carson, of ‘playing disgraceful games’ with some workers who are entitled to redundancy payments.

Councillor Cullinane said Mr Carson was refusing to pay workers, who were out of work due to illness and who were in receipt of the company’s sick scheme, their full statutory redundancy entitlements. He said the Receiver was maintaining that he would only pay the workers a redundancy calculated on the basis of their sick pay rather than on their rate of pay prior to being out of work as they were entitled.

Awaiting clarification

“I am dealing with a number of families who are awaiting clarification as to what exactly they will receive by way of redundancy. The workers involved have been out of work for just over a year and are entitled to the maximum statutory redundancy based on their rate of pay prior to going on sick leave.

The receiver is playing games with the issue and is claiming he will only pay the workers redundancy based on their sick pay entitlements. This is simply wrong. The workers involved are entitled to their full redundancy”, insisted Councillor Cullinane.

He said he had been in contact with Union representatives who had informed him that they were waiting for clarification from the Department. But, said the Sinn Fein representative, that clarification had been sought weeks ago. It was unfair that there should be such a delay when the families involved were angry, upset and at their wits end.

Disgrace

“This issue simply adds insult to injury for those involved. One former employee has given 40 years service and was out on disability pay due to an accident that occurred in the workplace. It is a disgrace that this former worker is being treated now in such a fashion. I am calling on the Receiver to stop playing games with former Crystal workers and pay them the statutory rates to which they are entitled”, said Councillor Cullinane.